How to Open Your Own Day Care Business

If you love working with kids and enriching their lives through afterschool activities, owning a day care can be one of the most rewarding experiences. From catering to the needs of young minds to helping stressed parents find a moment of peace, day cares are an essential part of any busy community. If you’re being called to offer this service, learn how to open your own day care business.

Familiarize Yourself with Legal Requirements

Every community has a series of requirements that small businesses—day cares included—need to follow in order to operate. This requires you to do the proper research and apply for the appropriate licenses to show your qualification. As you go through this process, be sure to reach out to your state’s day care licensing agency to ensure you’re getting all the required certifications.

Develop a Thorough Business Plan

As a business owner, it’s crucial that you develop an overall plan for how you want to organize and run your business. In the beginning phases of development, you’ll need to know who you’re catering to, how you’ll offer your care plans and pricing, and how you’ll obtain the funds to open. In addition, you’ll also need to put government-approved safety procedures into effect to ensure that each child is safe in your care.

Invest in Transportation

If you’re also planning to cater to older children, it might be beneficial to consider investing in a bus or two to pick them up from school. These vehicles will allow you to better serve your customers and to play a larger role in their care. Be sure to take the time to prepare your buses for local weather conditions to ensure the kids’ safety.

Purchase Equipment

Before you open your doors for the first time, it’s important that you have all the equipment you’ll need to care for the children and to keep them entertained throughout the day. This may include toys and games; for older kids, this may involve setting up work stations for them to do their homework or other mental exercises. As you’re setting up, be sure to adjust the environment to fit the needs of the age group you’ll be watching.